Welcome to One Note Ahead. From October of 2006 through April of 2010, I used this space to bring you a variety of writings and videos pertaining to music and the music industry. I've kept the blog online since discontinuing new posts, but in August of 2014, I had to close comments because of a barrage of spam comments. Sorry, but I hope you enjoy the blog anyway.

Monday, September 24, 2007

In 1968, an unassuming British pop band called The Magic Lanterns scored a major hit in North America with the catchy “Shame, Shame.” Little did anybody know that nearly 40 years later, a debate would be raging as to whether one of the most legendary and controversial figures in all of rock was a member of this outfit. The issue has been in dispute for decades and it may never, ever be resolved. But that doesn’t stop this writer from tackling one of the most polarizing questions concerning the history of rock ‘n’ roll:

Was Ozzy Osbourne a member of The Magic Lanterns?

Here are the facts: The Magic Lanterns were from Warrington, England. During the late ‘60s, their personnel included a bass player and singer named Mike “Oz” Osbourne (also spelled Osborne), who was featured on “Shame, Shame” and other Magic Lanterns recordings from 1968-69. Many music critics and historians have since claimed that Mike “Oz” Osbourne and John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne are one in the same and record dealers have often sold the Lanterns’ 1969 LP Shame, Shame as an early effort by the Black Sabbath frontman and solo superstar. Ozzy himself has always denied being a Magic Lantern, but there is no shortage of music lovers who refuse to believe him.

Ozzy’s fans have plenty of responses to charges that he was in The Magic Lanterns: Ozzy’s from Birmingham, not Warrington. Black Sabbath were already active, under the names Polka Tulk (or Polka Tulk Blues Company) and Earth, before and during the period when Ozzy was supposed to have been plucking away at his bass as a Magic Lantern. And for that matter, when has Ozzy Osbourne ever been a bass player? In addition, this webpage includes detailed personal recollections from The Magic Lanterns’ own Alistair “Bev” Beveridge, who mentions Mike Osborne [sic] but never says a word about Ozzy.

And yet, one can reasonably make the argument that Ozzy is indeed doing what oh, so many people over a certain age are wont to do: lying about what he did in the ‘60s. Here’s a picture of The Magic Lanterns from the appropriate era:

Now, here’s Ozzy:

There is a fellow in the Magic Lanterns’ photo who looks like Ozzy. One might even listen to recordings from Mike “Oz” Osbourne’s tenure in the band and discern a voice in the harmonies that bears a certain resemblance to Ozzy’s. Most intriguing is this paragraph from Mark Marymont’s liner notes to The Magic Lanterns’ CD compilation Shame, Shame (Collectables Records, 1998):

“[Ozzy] has denied that he was ever in the group and most rock history books have Black Sabbath forming in 1967 in their native Birmingham, England. The four schoolmates were originally known as Polka Tulk, a blues band, before changing their name to Earth in 1968 and Black Sabbath in 1969. The record company for whom The Magic Lanterns recorded, however, has confirmed that it is indeed THE Ozzy Osbourne on these recordings. It would appear that this group was only a side-gig for the fledgling superstar.”

This paragraph seems compelling at first, but it raises a few questions. Exactly what record company confirmed the identity of the Lanterns’ bass player? The UK branch of CBS Records, to whom The Magic Lanterns were originally signed? Atlantic Records in the United States, for whom the band recorded the Shame, Shame LP? Or was it another label entirely? Also, one must only look at a map of England to see some problems with The Magic Lanterns being Ozzy’s side-gig during Black Sabbath’s early history. Warrington is close to Manchester, which is in turn a considerable distance from Birmingham. Marymont claims that The Magic Lanterns “ventured down to London in the mid-‘60s,” but if we operate on the premise that the Lanterns were based in London during the “Shame, Shame” era, we must also take note of the fact that London is no closer to Birmingham than Manchester. If Ozzy was already in a band in Birmingham, why would he take such a long trek to play in another band as a side project? It’s possible that Ozzy felt he wasn’t advancing quickly enough in the music business, took up the bass, traveled a long way to live a second life in a commercial pop group with a UK chart entry (“Excuse Me Baby”) under its belt, and then denied having any involvement in said band after he became famous. It’s just not particularly likely. A voice in The Magic Lanterns might sound like Ozzy’s because a latter-day listener is casting about for proof that the Prince of Darkness really was in that band. As for the Ozzy lookalike in the Lanterns’ photo, let’s face it: Ozzy Osbourne does not have a distinctive face. His overall image is what makes him easy to identify.

So the data available to us would seem to indicate that Ozzy Osbourne was NOT one of The Magic Lanterns after all. But The Magic Lanterns have a lot of intriguing connections that can be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt:

=> “Shame, Shame” and other early Magic Lanterns tracks were arranged by John Paul Jones, soon to become the bass player for Led Zeppelin. This is not surprising; during the 1960s, Jones was a highly prolific arranger and, like his eventual bandmate Jimmy Page, an in-demand session musician.

=> Later Magic Lanterns recordings (post-Mike Osbourne) included Albert Hammond, the singer/songwriter responsible for ‘70s soft rock favorites like “It Never Rains In Southern California” and “The Air That I Breathe.” Hammond co-wrote a number of Magic Lanterns tunes from the early ‘70s, including their small US hit “One Night Stand.” Hammond’s son is the appropriately-named Albert Hammond, Jr. of The Strokes.

=> The Magic Lanterns’ only UK chart entry, “Excuse Me Baby,” was written by Artie Wayne, a legendary mover-and-shaker who has done everything and then some in the music business. His website is here and his entertaining blog can be found here.

=> “Shame, Shame” was co-written and originally recorded by American singer and songwriter Keith Colley, best known for his own regional 1963 hit “Enamorado.” He and his wife Linda wrote several songs that ‘60s rock and pop collectors know and love, such as “Shame, Shame,” “One Track Mind” (The Knickerbockers), “Playgirl” (The Knickerbockers, Thee Prophets), and “Mindrocker” (Fenwyck, The American Breed). Colley’s demo version of “Shame, Shame” is available on his Mindrocker compilation, but the 45 version remains a rarity.

Fantastic! I looked for evidence of Ozzy playing bass and couldn't find it. I've even seen discussion forums where fans of his said that Mike Osbourne couldn't be Ozzy because Mike was a bass player. Thanks, Ayrton.

ozzy did not play on ALL Magic Laterns material. only the last LP. I have the sole Canadian LP of the magic laterns, on Polydor records, all tracks feature Ozzy, , and the back cover of the Canadian Pressing, shows A VERY Distinctive Ozzy. C'mon..beyond that, the proof is just the sound of his voice on record. It's not a stretch if you consider the music industry in england in the 1960's. It's pap, that's why he denies being in it! and being credited as Mike "OZ " osbourne..how many omens do you need? haha ;) This ain't a sabbath, but it's an interesting document anyways.

Just to clear this all up, no THE Ozzy Osbourne was not in the magic lanterns, the Mike Osborne of magic lanterns is the guy with the glasses bowler hat and black moustash in the bottom right of the photo, how does a lad of 23 know this, well the reason is that i live in warrington and i am married to his 21 year old daughter Lucy Osborne, so i hope this clears things up. anybody want to get in touch im at mraymond01@gmail.com

I can clear this up straight away.Mike Osbourne or 'Ozzy. was a bass player from Lymm,Warrington,Albany road infact.He played with lots of Warrington Bands in the 60's,then had a lucky break,after being with Ron Pickards's bands,and joined the Magic Lanterns.He was with them for 2 years or less >> then, if I remember,joined 'Ken Knight and The Midnite 4,replacing Kenny Krank.I joined this band in the early 70's,along with terry skidmore on drums,so the line up was Ken knight vocls and trumpet,Ozzy on bass and vocals,me on lead guitar,and vocls and terry skid on drums.We eventually disbanded mid 70's.Ozzy went back to pipe fitting, lost a son in a tragic road accident in Warrington,remarried,and I rejoined him and Warrington drummer Billy Fog,in a trio,playing at the Spar brook,Warrington, Walkers Club,etc, etc.We all fizzed out in the 90's,due to old age.but I.m still playing, so Rock on !!

>one can reasonably make the argument that Ozzy is indeed doing what oh, so many people over a certain age are wont to do: lying about what he did in the ‘60s.<

Indeed, off the top of me head I remember three of the biggest Brazilian popular music artistes who rewrote history so as to hide their first recordings. Singer Elis Regina simply deleted her first four albums; songwriter-actor-singer Adoniran Barbosa almost always said his singing career started in the 1950s, omitting his early attempts from the 1930s; and ringer-songwriter Roberto Carlos not only forbids his first ever album (from 1961) from being reissued (for reasons too numerous to be summed up here), he omitted it from his official history and only admitted to its existence when cornered by fans in the 1990s, saying that he and the record company were "talking about ways of reissuing the album without doing financial harm to the fans who have paid up to almost two grand for a copy". So the thought of Ozzy Osbourne from Black Sabbath trying to write off his tenure (however brief) in the Magic Lanterns may not be so illogical after all...

Another example: when the Rolling Stones promoted "Let's Spend The Night Together" on the Ed Sullivan TV programme, they were asked (ie, forced) to sing "Let's spend some time together". Mick Jagger always denied this, saying "I mumbled, 'let's spend some 'mmmmmmm' together'" - but the advent of VHS and bootlegs of the programme in the 1980s proved him, er, wrong.

Ozzy was never in the Magic Lanterns and if you truly believe he was, you're totally daft.These are the same twits who insist The Knickerbockers sound like The Beatles...yes they do, but only if you are tone deaf.

"There is a fellow in the Magic Lanterns' photo who looks like Ozzy"....LOL, now who could that be?Looking at said photo, NONE of those blokes look remotely like Ozzie, ESPECIALLY the little guy in the bowler hat(Mike Osborne) down in the corner...He looks like....Toulouse Latrec! LMAO!

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